Odhavram

Odhavram (1889–1957) was an Indian religious teacher and a follower of Mohandas Gandhi. He campaigned for education, the poor, and the rights of Dalits.

Early years

Odhavram was born in Jakhau, a small village located on the west coast of Gujarat, India in District Kutchh. He was born in a Bhanushali family on the auspicious day of Hindu festival of "Ram Navami" in 1889, he was named Udhav. His parents were mother Chaagbai & father Hemraj. Udhav had one elder brother & two sisters.

As a kid Udhav was special. He did behave as a child but was more inclined towards spirituality. He loved Music and Bhajans from the age of 5 and when he grew 9, he always carried the Bhagwad Geta to school and at play too. He used to narrate single lines from the sacred Geeta to his friends and at times discuss the same with Pandits too.

Udhav got his first Guru at the age of 9, Shanakaranand from Mandvi Takula in Kutch. Udhav learnt Sanskrit and the Vedas from Shankaranand for 6 months and following a life-threatening accident in the ashram was returned to Jakhau. Later, Udhav came to Bombay and worked as a gunny-bag laborer for 8 years but finally left Bombay dedicating his life for the mankind and for the up-liftment of Kutch and Gujarat.

Ishwar Ashram

Odhavram came to Vandhay in Kutchh. Lalram was the Mahant at the Ishwar Ashram, Vandhai. The Vandhai Ashram follows the Harihar parampara. The Harihar Parampara was started by Deva Saheb in Hamla, Kutchh and a few decades later his disciple Ishwarram settled in Vandhai. After Ishwarrm, Lalram took care of the Ashram and after Lalram, Odhavram was declared the Mahant of the Ishwar Ashram.

Kutch gurukul

Odhavram always believed that society cannot progress without Education. Odhavram went door to door and person to person in Mumbai, Calcutta & Madhya Pradesh asking people to contribute funds to start the first gurukul in Kutch. As the construction of the gurukul began, Odhavram walked from house to house, village to village preaching the need of education. At times Odhavram used to work as a laborer carrying bricks overhead, make the cement mix and feed workers with food & water. The first gurukul of Kutch was named Ishwarram Gurukul & inaugurated on Vasant Panchami of year 1937 A.D. Odhavram welcomed his first batch of 330 students.

Odhavram was firm and dedicated in his decisions and this dedication made his gurukul dream come true. Now he wanted to push the gurukul barriers further by wanting to teach and educate the blind. He believed and preached that we all are children of God and we all deserve love and respect in the society. A blind person has no option but to beg or rely on family. He wanted to gift the blind self-reliance and respect in society. The school for the blind began in 1938. He called for the brail script from Bombay and his first batch had 7 or 8 students. Apart from book knowledge he used to teach them the intelligence of senses. He revealed to them, their power of ears, nose and fingers. Sadhu Sevadas who studied in the blind school, still resides at the Ishawar Ashram, Vandhai, Kutchh.

The 19th & 20th century was the period of illiteracy & poverty. People inclined towards Spirituality could be easily cheated in the name of God. In the same era, the Kadwa Patidar Samaj fell into the hands of some greedy spiritual Gurus and got converted to a religion that has had no existence in history called the Peerani Panth.

Odhavram struggled for 16 years to bringing the entire Patidaar Samaj back to Sanatan Dharma. In this struggle Odhavram faced 3 to 4 life-threatening attacks but escaped without a scratch. Once a guy entered his Sadhana Kutir (meditation place) & tried to shoot at him from point blank range but failed. Once he was attacked by a mob of 8-10 people with swords but they failed. Odhavram was a believer of "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" (Non violence the highest religion). In his entire life span he never ever touched a weapon & still succeeded in his mission on faith & dedication.

Follower of Gandhi

In 1943, Odhavram supported Gandhi’s movement to accept the untouchables as part of the society. In Odhavram’s life this was the only decision that sparked off the society against him. Villagers throughout Kutch revolted but Odhavram stood firm on his decision. Some unsocial elements started provoking the villagers & People started leaving him. But as every night has a day, Harijans got their rightful place in the society & Odhavram won his battle for humanism with pride and dignity.

Odhavram was a firm believer of Mahatma Gandhi & follower of his deeds. Odhavram accepted Gandhi’s Swadeshi Apnao slogan & put it to practice the same day. He started weaving his own clothes on the Charkha and made it compulsory for every student of the Gurukul to learn & weave. Odhavram used to say one should first practice what he preaches.

In 1945, a convention was called under the leadership of Meher Ali in Mundra. Odhavram was also invited for this convention as his speeches had a very strong impact on people. When Odhavram was invited to give some spiritual discourses a strange incident happened. Odhavram said "I cannot die in peace till my motherland is freed from these invaders. In this freedom fight write my name first followed by my 330 students of the Gurukul. I would be honored to sacrifice my life for my motherland". In 1947, India was declared independent and Odhavram continued to serve mankind.

1940 drought

The year 1940 saw the worst drought of Kutchh. Cattles were dying in thousands. In this period Odhavram sidelined all his other activities & dedicated his life for the suffering cattle & villagers. Odhavram said "Saving these speechless cattle is the first and foremost responsibility of a true Hindu. If one has to give away everything he has and even his life for this noble cause it worth". In thousands cattle started flowing in Vandhai and Odhavram offered sufficient food, water & shelter for all. At times he, his students and ashram had to starve but thousands of cows & other cattle was saved.

Bhanushali movement

In 1942, Odhavram started a movement for the Bhanushali community. Bhanushalis are Surya Vanshi but due to illiteracy & poverty were being harassed by society. Odhavram decided to draw a path for his own community & give them their real place in the society. He traveled across villages & cities preaching the importance of education & finally succeeded in starting the first boarding in Mandvi. Bhansuhali Haridas Pradhan Joisar sold off almost all his properties & life savings to manage the required funds for this cause. A few years later Odhavram also struggled to build home shelter for the Bhanushali’s who had migrated from Kutch to Bombay for work & with funds provided by Bhanushali Haridas Velji Joisar of Bombay. The Bhanushali wadi in Bombay, came into existence in year 1952.

During this era there was a 9-year-old girl who came very close to Odhavram. Odhavram blessed her with his knowledge & today she is serving mankind & showing all the divine path to happiness. She is Param Pujya Sant Mataji Rama Devi of Haridwar.

Later years

In year 1954, Odhavram handed over the Vandhai Ashram to "Dayaddasji" and reached Haridwar to spend the rest of his life at the Ganges but when he saw a few Kutchi’s roaming on the streets of Haridwar without any place to stay, He felt the need of a Dharmashala for people to stay & spend their last days peacefully. He wrote several letters asking for funds & help. Among his very close follower & associate, was Manji Jeram Rathod of Madhapar belonging to Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Samaj. Manji Jeram took the leadership to build Kutchi Ashram in Haridwar and started with a large personal donation and roamed whole India to collect monies from rich families of his community as well Patidar, Bhanushali, Mistri and other communities of Kutch. Finally, the Kutchhi Lalrameshwar Ashram at Haridwar was established in 1956. Pujya Jashoda Maa gave a helping hand & worked day & night in setting up the ashram.

In Haridwar, Odhavram found a holy soul who would follow his path of serving mankind after he was gone. His name was “Valji”. Valji took Diksha from him and became Valdas. Valdas started serving mankind & followed the path laid by Odhavram. Odhavram returned to Vandhai and died on 13 January 1957. ^[1]

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